Abstract:
This study was carried out to assess individuals’ willingness to pay (WTP) for UZIMAX,
a novel plant-based biopesticide developed for malaria vector control. The biopesticide is estimated
to kill up to 100% of Anopheles larvae within 48 h of application and poses no risks to human
health and the environment. However, scaling-up of its adoption requires clear evidence of its
acceptance by individuals in malaria-prone areas. We conducted Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM)
revealed preference auctions with 204 participants to determine their willingness to pay (WTP) for
community-based application of the biopesticide to control malaria vectors. Nearly all participants
were willing to pay at the lowest bid price of the biopesticide, and the majority of them expressed great
interest in pooling resources to facilitate biopesticide application. Household per capita income and
building capacity of households through training significantly increased WTP. These findings imply
high adoption potential of the technology and the need to devise inclusive policy tools, especially those
that enhance collective action, resource mobilization and capacity building to empower both men and
women and stimulate investment in eco-friendly technologies for malaria prevention. Financial and
labor resource mechanisms managed by the community could potentially spur adoption of the
biopesticides, and in turn, generate health, environmental and economic benefits to households in
malaria-prone communities.
